Typical knowledge would let you know that Higashiyama, the historic neighborhood that’s residence to among the metropolis’s most iconic sights, is each one of the best place to remain in Kyoto and probably the most fulfilling space to discover. Hell, that’s what I inform most of my personal purchasers!
After all, there’s a sensible ingredient to this as properly. Higashiyama (greater than, say, Arashiyama, i.e. certainly one of Kyoto’s different previous quarters) is a handy base for exploring town, even if you happen to aren’t 100% bought on its deserves in any other case. Extra on these in a minute.
Whether or not you intend to remain in a single day or just go to for the day, it’s my hope that studying this text will enable you to resolve whether or not Arashiyama or Higashiyama is greatest for you. Let’s get begin, we could?
Why So Many Vacationers Keep in Higashiyama
A part of the Arashiyama vs Higashiyama debate comes all the way down to practicality. As you’ll know if you happen to’ve ever been to Kyoto or studied a map, Higashiyama is way nearer to Kyoto Station (the place Shinkansen bullet trains arrive and depart from) than Arashiyama. Furthermore, the Keihan Essential Line (which originates in Osaka’s metropolis heart) calls at a number of stations inside Highashiyama, permitting for straight-shot journey and not using a switch.
There’s additionally the truth that Higashiyama is just residence to extra well-known sights than Arashiyama is. I’ll describe these in additional element in a couple of paragraphs, however in a broad sense, most vacationers know Arashiyama just for its bamboo forest. Higashiyama, against this, is the place you’ll discover just about all of Kyoto’s most well-known temples. There’s additionally the query of lodging choices, although I’m as soon as once more getting forward of myself.
Higashiyama
Methods to Evaluate Arashiyama with Higashiyama
Entry
For many vacationers, it’s faster to get to Higashiyama than it’s to achieve Arashiyama. Higashiyama is simply quarter-hour from Kyoto Station by public transportation or taxi, and can be linked on to central Osaka through the Keihan Essential Line. Against this, Arashiyama is round half-hour from Kyoto Station through the JR Sagano Line; it’s additionally round 45 minutes from Higashiyama through not less than two trains.
Motels
One other vital distinction between Arashiyama and Higashiyama is the lodge scenario. There are not less than 100 accommodations and ryokan in Higashiyama, together with top-rated properties like Lodge the Celestine and Dhawa Yura Kyoto, and plenty of small, great visitor homes. Against this, choices in Arashiyama are extra restricted; a few of my favorites embrace The GrandWest Arashiyama and Togetsutei.
Eating places
Higashiyama is a superb place to eat, day or not. By day, eat soba at Sanmikouan (with a view of the Shirakawa River), or dine at Temura Endo within the coronary heart of Gion. There are nice eateries in Arashiyama, too (I’m considering specifically about Kameyamaya, which serves native Kyoto-style dishes, to not point out numerous road stalls on the way in which to the bamboo forest), although lots of them are closed within the night.
Issues to do
When deciding between Higashiyama or Arashiyama on this entrance, the distinction just isn’t as stark as you may assume: Higashiyama has Kiyomizu-dera, Hokan-ji pagoda and practically countless potentialities to see Geisha. Arashiyama has the Sagano Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji temple and Togetsu-kyo bridge, to say nothing of assorted seasonal practice and boat journeys, the Iwatayama Monkey Park and the Saga Toriimoto Historic Avenue.
Crowds
When you come to both of those districts between about 10 AM and 6 PM, they are going to be utterly inundated with vacationers, although that is clearly not the case all over the place: Chion-in will probably be much less crowded than Kiyomizu-dera; Saga Toriimoto is extra tranquil than the bamboo forest. Fortunately, if you happen to keep the night time in certainly one of these neighborhoods, late night and early morning will probably be nothing in need of a revelation.
Arashiyama
Different Superior Kyoto Neighborhoods
Kyoto is a large metropolis with over 1,000 years of historical past. As you may think, there are way over two neighborhoods to find and discover:
- Fushimi is the place you discover the well-known Fushimi Inari Shrine, however can be certainly one of Japan’s prime sake-producing areas. Make certain to try my buddy Kotaro’s tour!
- Nagaokakyo, positioned in far western Kyoto south of Arashiyama, is nearly utterly devoid of vacationers, even at sights like Nagaoka Tenman-gu shrine.
- The “downtown” space alongside the Subway Karasuma Line is a handy and surprisingly trendy place to remain, notably round Shijo and Gojo Stations.
Different FAQ About Higashiyama and Arashiyama
Is Arashiyama place to remain in Kyoto?
Arashiyama is an excellent place to remain, and is very magical at night time and throughout the morning, after the day trippers depart for the night and earlier than they arrive the subsequent day. With this being stated, lodging choices are restricted, so you want to be intentional about staying right here if you want to take action.
Are Gion and Higashiyama the identical?
Gion is a sub-district of Higashiyama, positioned simply north and south of Shijo-dori, and between the Kamo River and Yasaka Shrine. Higashiyama, against this, extends far north and south of this space, stretching northward to Sanjo-dori and southward to Gojo-dori.
How a lot time to spend in Higashiyama?
When you don’t base your self in Higashyama, I like to recommend spending not less than a full day there. Ideally, you’ll go early within the morning or keep after the solar has set, with the intention to get pleasure from common sights just like the Gion Geisha district and Kiyomizu-dera temple with out 1000’s of fellow vacationers.
The Backside Line
Is Arashiyama or Higashiyama one of the best a part of Kyoto? In some sense, this isn’t an both/or query. For Higashiyama’s half, it’s residence to a few of Japan’s most spectacular temples, in addition to a variety and excessive amount of lodging, which let you expertise the district as your “residence” as soon as the day trippers depart. Arashiyama can be great—and never only for the bamboo forest—however is barely extra distant than Higashiyama, and likewise has many fewer accommodations. It is advisable be extra calculated and intentional if you happen to plan to remain or discover right here. Talking of being calculated and intentional, why not outsource these elements to an skilled? That is precisely what you get while you rent me to plan your journey to Japan.